Starring: Brandon Routh, Gil Birmingham and Chelsea Ricketts
Directed by: Steve Rash
PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 45 mins
Peck Entertainment

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I’ll admit up front that I’ve never played lacrosse. To be honest, it wasn’t played where I grew up in Florida. I first learned about it when I lived in Baltimore, as it’s a very popular sport in the mid-Atlantic states. I do know that it is a game of skill and speed. And those qualities are perfectly captured in the new and uplifting film “Crooked Arrows.”

Joe Logan (Routh) currently runs the casino that sits on land that has been in his tribe for centuries. Calling himself “Chief Wampum,” he wanders the gaming floor handing out feathers with bonus coupons attached and shooting arrows at a board that also includes such specials as “$5.00 free play!” When the developer that built the casino wants to expand he makes Joe an offer he can’t refuse. If he can convince the tribal elders to cede more land for expansion he will make Joe, and the tribe, very wealthy. But in order to succeed Joe must also do something for his people.

Presented with the approval and cooperation of the Onondaga Nation, “Crooked Arrows” is a history lesson in the game of lacrosse, which was invented centuries ago by Native Americans. Referred to often as both “the creator’s game” and “the medicine game,” lacrosse is both an athletic and spiritual journey. When Joe is informed by the tribal elders that he must also complete a spiritual journey to achieve his goals, he is assigned the task of coaching the tribal schools lacrosse team. We learn that Joe was, at one time, a great player for a rival private school, where he was known as “Logan the Legend.” However he soured on the game and really wants nothing to do with it. However, he accepts the challenge and, assisted by his lacrosse-loving sister Nadie (Ricketts) and guided by the advice of his father (Birmingham) he begins to recapture the love and respect he had both for the game and for his heritage.

The performances here are strong and natural. Routh may very well be the most likeable actor working today. There’s something about his presence on-screen, be it in “Superman Returns” or the romantic “Fling,” that just says “good guy.” Even when he’s fighting against the tribal councils wishes you can’t help but root for him. Ricketts is equally likeable here. As the only member of the team that actually understands the game and its heritage she radiates confidence. And Birmingham brings a quiet dignity to his role as both the tribe’s leader and Joe and Nadie’s dad.

Director Rash, who three decades ago gave us the great bio-pic “The Buddy Holly Story,” has managed to capture both the speed of the game and the smaller off-field moments beautifully. The photography, especially when the film flashes back to images of long ago, is lush and Brian Ralston’s musical score is a perfect accompaniment to the onscreen story.

Click here for our interview with Brandon Routh
Click here for our interview with Chelsea Ricketts

Directed by: John Gulager
Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Matt Bush, David Koechner, Chris Zylka, Katrina Bowden, Gary Busey, Christopher Lloyd, David Hasselhoff
Distributed by Dimension Films
MPAA Rating: R
Running time: 83 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When I saw “Piranha 3D” in the theaters back in 2010, I was blown away and had quite a lot of fun. Of course that film left the ending wide open for a sequel. Though this sequel has not had an easy road, it was rushed to be released, them pushed back and then basically canned. If you are looking to watch “Piranha 3DD” in 3D in theaters…think again, since it is only being released in a sad 75 theaters in North America. Luckily it is also coming out in VOD on outlets like Amazon, iTunes and Vudu, of course those aren’t in 3D like the film is intended. Thanks to DirecTV for hooking this film up in 3D and for a very reasonable $7.99. But after watching the film was it even worth all this hassle?

I have been very eager to see this film, especially after seeing the completely over-the-top red band trailer. Let’s just say I enjoyed it but was disappointed. The film feels very rushed and has zero focus…though still tries to have fun. The scale of the film seems very tone compared to the first and the impact of the piranha attack seems to be very underwhelming and quick. Now with that all aside, there are a bunch of great gags, some including penises (double entendre, ha!). The gore is present but not over-the-top like I was hoping. The double DD’s are definitely present as well but get’s lost in the shuffle.

The best part of the film is the supporting cast. David Koechner is funny as always. Christopher Lloyd is always a favorite of mine and I am very happy he returned to the role of Mr. Goodman. Gary Busey’s role is way too short and not as effective of a kick-off as the Dreyfuss bit was in the first film. Ving Rhames is a laugh riot as well but I wish his role was expanded. How can you say no to a line like “Gimme ma legs”? The VIP of the film though has to be David Hasselhoff. He absolutely steals the show, as usual, and really has a good time poking fun at himself.

The effects in the film are decent and I give them credit for using a mix of CG and puppet piranhas as well. The 3D effects are present but don’t really top the first film. This a little disappointing especially since the first film was post-converted and this was actually shot in 3D. But despite all the negative, this film is still downright fun…stupid…but fun. Dimension Films, if you are reading this…I still want a “Piranha 3”, but you can keep John Gulager. I wouldn’t want him to turn this franchise into what he did with the “Feast” films.  Be sure to stick around for through the credits to enjoy some more fun and outtakes with The Hoff stealing it again! You go Hoff!

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron
Directed by: Rupert Sanders
PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 7 mins
Universal

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

Some fairy tales are best left alone. In doing some quick research I learned that there are no less than thirty filmed versions of the tale of Snow White. And I’m willing to bet that all of them (well, maybe not the X-rated version entitled “Once Upon A Girl”) are better than “Snow White and the Huntsman.”

As the film begins we are told, via narration, the story of a happy couple that wanted a happy baby. The missus pricks her finger on a rose and three drops of blood escape. Apparently the drops of blood signify red lips, black hair and white skin. Turns out the couple in question are actually the king and queen of a happy kingdom. The queen has a beautiful baby girl, who they name Snow White. And they live happily ever after. Just kidding!

I hardly know where to begin.

Apparently when the film was cast the actors were told that they either needed to speak like “this” or like “THIS!” Both the evil queen (Theron) and the fair Snow White (Stewart) either mumble their lines to their fellow actors or SCREAM them! As the magic mirror-loving, bird heart-eating queen who has apparently been done wrong by one man too many, Theron comes off as a better dressed version of Aileen Wuornos, the man-hating serial killer she won an Oscar portraying in 2003’s “Monster.” Her makeup makes her features fluctuate from a blindingly beautiful queen to a weathered hag who eerily resembles Courtney Love’s Althea Flynt at the end of “The People vs Larry Flynt.”
The queen also has a creepy relationship with her brother, Finn (Sam Spruell). And by creepy I mean “Angelina Jolie and her brother at the 2000 Oscars” creepy.

As Snow White, Stewart doesn’t have much to do while she’s locked in a tower. Once she escapes she proves herself to be quite feisty. However, she too is a shouter. And then there’s Hemsworth, who apparently was the only actor that was trying when the film was shot. Burdened with the only accent in the film, the kind that makes the word “three” sound like “tree,” and wielding a large axe much like he wielded his Hammer as Thor, Hemsworth gives the only layered performance in the film. Even the seven dwarves, played by who’s who of British actors including Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins and Nick Frost, couldn’t bring this film to life. It’s like everybody on set, sans Hemsworth, took a bite of the famed poisoned apple and drifted off to sleep. And since these aren’t Disney’s dwarves they’re saddled with such un-cute names like Beith, Nion and Gort. One of them bore a striking resemblance to Mel Brooks’ Yogurt in “Spaceballs,” but since he’s apparently blind I just call him “Blindy,” in memory of Walt.

The pacing is horrible, making a two hour-plus film feel EXACTLY LIKE a two hour-plus film. The script is cobbled together from pretty much every different version of the Snow White tale you remember from your childhood. Somebody better call John Lee Hancock, who wrote such films as “The Blind Side” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and tell him somebody added his name to the other two taking credit for the screenplay. Thankfully I have to watch “A Perfect World” this weekend so I can be reminded of what a talented writer he truly is. On the plus side, the musical score by James Newton Howard is a pleasant distraction from the action on screen.

Thanks to my crack research I’ve learned that two of the actors featured in “Once Upon a Girl” were Hal Smith, who played the loveable town drunk Otis on “The Andy Griffith Show,” and Frank Welker, one of the best voice-over actors EVER. Armed with that knowledge I think “Once Upon a Girl” may also be better than “Snow White and the Huntsman.”

Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine
Distributed by: Millennium Entertainment
MPAA rating: PG-13
Running Time: 104 minutes

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Bernie” is directed by Richard Linklater, who is known best for his films “Waking Life” and “Dazed and Confused”. I feel that his work has lost the ‘Linklater charm’ recently especially after his last film “Me and Orson Welles”. The film stars Jack Black and Shirley MacLaine, who both give fantastic performances. The film itself starts off great and plays well between the its narrative and documentary style. Towards the end it seems either rushed or loses focus.

The film follows a small Texas town mortician Bernie Tiede (Black), who befriends a rich widow Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine) after her husband’s death. After becomes her friend and companion, Bernie murders Nugent due to her constant putdowns and tries to get away with it.  Since no one is town like her and she has no friends,  months go by before anyone really miss her.  When local district attorney (McConaughey) begins to investigate, things get complicated for Bernie and the local small town of Carthage.

“Bernie” is based off a true story from a 1998 Texas Monthly magazine article about a 1996 murder of a millionaire by her companion. Like I said, Jack Black gives one of his best performances to date and steals this film. He is funny yet isn’t really try that hard as usual. If you are looking for something different this summer from all the superheros and action films, this could be a good alternative for you.

Directed by: Chris Stokes
Starring: Gary Sturgis, Tristen M. Carter, Marques Houston, Kida Burns, Zach Balandres, Camren Bicondova, Edward Mandell, Kyle Brooks
Studio: Brian and Barrett Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 103 minutes

Our Score: 1 out of 5 stars

It is really rare that I have trouble finishing a film. Well let’s just say that “Battlefield America” was one of those films. I have seen “You Got Served” and enjoyed it quite a bit…it is hard to believe that this is from the same people. There has been many dance films to follow like the “Step Up” series, which I also love. But this one isn’t even in the same boat as those.  This is a kids version of “You Got Served, but even though kids are the focus but there is no way I would let my young kids see this film.

The film focuses on a young businessman who get sentenced to community service for getting in trouble with the law by only following his own rules. Not sure how but he goes from businessman to dance teacher but he ends up being a mentor and coach to a group of misfit kids and getting them into a underground dance competition.

Marques Houston, best known for his role in the TV series “Sister, Sister”, didn’t really fit in this film. His role in “You Got Served” was more interesting to watch. I wish they would have made the film more about dance and less his relationship and work ethics. When the film had dance scenes, they were fantastic but they were WAY too far and few between. If the film would have played the way it did after the opening scene, this would have turned out a whole lot different.  While watching this, I recall looking at the clock and expected this to be almost over and instead found out that it still had 40 minutes.  If you like dance films, you will be better off missing this one and save yourself two hours you won’t get back.

Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 47 mins
Columbia Pictures

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

It’s been 10 years since Agent’s “J” and “K” have made our world safe from aliens. A lot of things have changed since then. A lot hasn’t. But when the fate of the world depends on things changing 40 years in the past, who you gonna call? No, not the Ghostbusters!

The original “Men in Black” was the second of three summer films that established Will Smith as a bonafide box office star (and a sure bet to open a film over the 4th of July). His young buck agent “J” played perfectly off of Tommy Lee Jones’ gruff agent “K.” “MIB 3” finds them just as we remember them. But MIB itself has changed. The new head of the agency is the lovely “O” (Emma Thompson). She and “K” appear to have a bit of a past but if that’s true she’s not saying. When a galactic menace named Boris the Animal ( played by “Flight of the Conchords” Jemaine Clement) escapes his lunar prison, intending to settle a long time score with “K”, “J” must travel back in time to 1969, where he again encounters “K” (a brilliant Josh Brolin). While there doors are unlocked and questions are answered.

A resounding return to the magic that made the original “Men in Black” so successful, “MIB 3” is what a summer movie should be: FUN! Well written and featuring some of the best effects on screen this year (my apologies, “Avengers”), the film also features some fine performances. Smith easily slips back into the wise cracking “J” while Jones has mastered the crusty old mentor role. The standout here is Brolin, who nails Jones’ mannerisms and vocal tics. Every time he calls Smith “slick,” hondo” or “sport” you almost expect to see Jones standing behind him. Clement is also solid in a role I never would have considered him for. His Boris the Animal (“it’s JUST Boris,” he hisses when addressed by his full moniker) is truly evil and much more suited to take over the world then Johnny Knoxville’s head in “MIB 2.” The visual effects are just as sharp, with 12 time Oscar nominee (and 7 time winner, including for the original “Men in Black”) Rick Baker and staff outdoing themselves.

Director Sonnenfeld keeps the pace moving smoothly while the script by, among others, Etan Coen (“Tropic Thunder”) and David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Spider-man”) delivers the humor as well as an unexpected emotional payoff. As in the other films in the series, the production values are top notch with special credit going to cinematographer Bill Pope (the “Matrix” films, “Spider-Man 2 and 3”), whose lens seemingly captured a post card of New York City, circa 1969. Credit as well to long time Sonnenfeld production designer Bo Welch, whose attention to the detail of the late 1960s is outstanding.

Starring: Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski and Olivia Dudley
Directed by: Bradley Parker
R
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Blame “The Blair Witch Project.” Since that film came out in 1999, a plethora of “found footage” films has invaded the multiplex. Some of them (“Cloverfield,” the “Paranormal Activity” series) have been downright scary. Others, like the recent “Apollo 18,” have been anything but. Now we have “Chernobyl Diaries” which, thankfully, is no “Apollo 18.”

On a trip to Europe three young friends visit all of the major cities on the continent. London. Prague. Frankfurt. The trio is made up of Chris (McCartney), his girlfriend Natalie (Dudley) and their friend Amanda (Devin Kelly). The group ends up in Kiev, where they plan to meet up with Chris’ brother, Paul (Sadowski). The plan is to take a trip to Moscow. But the plans change when Paul enlists Uri (Dimitri Diatchenko), an “extreme tour” guide. Uri informs them that he can take the group to Pripyat, which is where the workers of the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant and their families lived. They learn that, after the reactor meltdown a quarter century ago, the residents of the town were given less than five minutes to evacuate. It now stands as a town that time forgot, where because of the fallout, nothing can live. Almost nothing.

Best described as “I Am Legend” meets “Paranormal Activity,” “Chernobyl Diaries” is a pretty slick little film. The “Paranormal Activity” gene comes straight from the source as the film was co-written by Oren Peli, the writer/director of the original film. His script is solid here, with an unflinching look at what the effects of a nuclear disaster can be. In Pripyat giant bears and packs of dogs hunt in the woods while fish resembling the kind swimming near the nuclear plant on “The Simpsons” fill the lake. The city is also occupied by what appears to be a race of people that have mutated into night dwelling monsters.

Though some of the scares are telegraphed the majority of the film is pretty intense. Credit a strong cast, a keen eye by first time director Parker and a production designer who has managed to bring, excuse the pun, a dead town to life. The set pieces are impressive as are the visual effects. If you’re looking for a fright this holiday weekend you could do much worse then “Chernobyl Diaries.”

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker and Liam Neeson
Directed by: Peter Berg
PG 13
Running time: 2 hrs 21 mins
Universal

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

“H-7. Hit. B-7. Miss. H-8. Hit. You sunk my Battleship!”

If you grew up in the 1970s you remember the television commercial about the two old men playing “Battleship” while attending the opera. I certainly played it enough in my time (though I will admit here that I often cheated, stating “Miss” when in reality my mine sweeper should have been heading to the bottom of the ocean). Now, from Hasbro, the toy company that gave you such films as “Transformers” and “G.I. Joe” (as well as their sequels), comes “Battleship.”

2005. A planet almost identical in location from its sun as Earth is discovered in a far away galaxy. Hoping to learn more about it, our government builds a transmission station and the next year sends a radio beacon into space, hoping to reach the planet. The project is called, simply, the Beacon Project. As the beam heads skyward, we are introduced to Alex Hopper (Kitsch), a slacker in every sense of the word. Alex currently lives on the couch in the home owned by his brother Stone (Alexander Skarsgard), a commander in the U.S. Navy. Another of his apparently frequent run-ins with the law cause Stone to lay the law down, demanding Alex make something of his life by joining him in the Navy. Aye-aye, sir!

Over the top in every way, “Battleship” is two-plus hours of explosions in what is really a mash-up of “Independence Day,” “Transformers,” “Signs” and “Power Rangers.” But, not necessarily in a good way. The film starts off promisingly, with Alex going above and beyond to obtain a snack for the pretty daughter (Decker) of a Navy admiral (Neeson). But then things begin to unravel. In what seems like a day (no transitional scenes) Alex is now a naval officer stationed in Hawaii. He is also part of a soccer team that plays the sailors of the Japanese navy who are visiting Pearl Harbor to take part in a training exercise and attend a dedication to the battleship U.S.S. Missouri. Good point? I’m going to say “no.” Because I know that if I were a naval veteran at Pearl Harbor the last thing I want to see is the Japanese navy! Anyway, during the game Alex gets in an altercation with a Japanese player. Apparently that’s a bad thing because, as Alex heads out to sea on his training exercise he’s informed that “JAG” is probably going to kick him out of the Navy. Really? Without a trial? Is Alex in the RUSSIAN navy?

On the slight “plus” side of the film, the special effects are first rate though, like “Transformers 2,” they are eventually almost a blur because of the films’ dependence on them. The cast does its best with what it was given. Kitsch is a likable actor who’s two biggest roles (here and this past spring entry “John Carter”) have pitted him against special effects. He needs to find a role that lets him achieve the performances he reached on “Friday Night Lights.” And hopefully avoid his agent’s phone call when the ultimate Hasbro movie, “Lincoln Logs vs Tinkertoys,” is being cast!

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris and Ben Kingsley
Directed by: Larry Charles
R
Running time: 1 hour 25
Paramount

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When a film opens with a dedication to the late Korean leader Kim Jong Il you know you’re going to be taking a politically incorrect ride. And when the film comes from the mind of the brilliant Sacha Baron Cohen, you know it’s going to be hilarious.

Unlike his previous faux documentaries featuring his characters Borat and Bruno, “The Dictator” finds Cohen starring as Admiral General Aladeen, the title dictator of the North African county of Widya. Aladeen rules with a heavy fist. Disagree with something he says, block his way on the stairs or forget to offer him the prize that came out of your box of cereal and, with a quick flick of his hand past his neck, you’re taken away. He has survived many assassination plots, mostly because his chief of staff (Kingsley) has a stable of doubles around whose main job is to get shot in the head. Tired of the atrocities going on in his country, the United Nations summon Aladeen to New York, demanding he address the group and his country’s presumed search for nuclear power. But when Aladeen finds himself on the outside looking in he must also look inside himself for the answers.

Sharing screenwriting duties with three others, Cohen has crafted a masterpiece of political incorrectness. No one is spared here, especially those of the Jewish faith. A devout Jew himself, Cohen proves that often it is necessary to point out our faults and prejudices with laughter rather than anger. The laughs are pretty much non-stop and if you’re familiar with “Borat” or “Bruno” then you know you’re going to see and hear a lot more then you’d expect in a film. Cohen is top notch in what amounts to a dual role, as are co-stars Faris, in a rare appearance as a comic straight man, and Oscar-winner Kingsley. Supporting turns by Aasif Mandvi, Chris Parnell and others keep the laughs coming at a very brisk pace. The film is accompanied by a collection of recognizable songs, though they seem new because each song is now sung in Widyan. The musical score, by Cohen’s older brother Erran, is also a fine compliment to the film.

In the kingdom of comedy there is currently only one ruler. Hail Sacha Baron Cohen!

Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Eva Green
Directed by: Tim Burton
PG 13
Running time: 1 hour 53 mins
Warner Brothers

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

As a boy of 10 I would run home from school every afternoon to catch the gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows.” The story of 18th century vampire Barnabas Collins roaming the streets in modern times, the show aired on ABC for six seasons and was a great training ground for future television stars like Kate Jackson, Dana Elcar, Conrad Bain, Abe Vigoda and David Groh. Even Harvey Keitel appeared in a couple of episodes. The show was unusual for its time as it blended romance and comedy with a dash of horror. This week, director Tim Burton and his frequent star Johnny Depp add their own quirky touches to a film that pays perfect homage to the series that inspired it.

In the 1750s, young Barnabas Collins (Justin Tracy) and his family leave Liverpool and head for the new world. There his father begins building his fortune in the fishing business. Though the family is well off, his father reminds Barnabas of the most important thing…”family is the only real wealth.” Barnabas is in love with the beautiful Josette (Bella Heathcote). However he has also dabbled around with the mysterious Angelique (Green). When he refuses Angelique’s pleas to be hers only she flies into a rage. It seems Angelique is a witch. She punishes Barnabas’ rejection by turning him into a vampire and then turning the town on him. He is quickly spirited off to the woods, chained into a coffin and buried, condemned to spend the rest of his unnatural life in darkness.

1972. In the town of Collinsport, Maine a construction crew unearths an odd object. Opening it they are suddenly attacked. Soon they are all dead, their blood drained from their bodies. As the police investigate a bus carrying the fair Victoria (also Heathcote) arrives. She has come to apply for the nanny position being advertised for by Elizabeth Collins Stafford (Pfeiffer). Upon arrival at the family mansion, she is quickly introduced to the residents: handyman Willie (Jackie Earle Haley), Elizabeth’s brother, Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), her daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Mortez), her nephew David (Gulliver McGrath) and the family psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter). Finding his way to the mansion, Barnabas introduces himself and begins to assimilate himself back into the family. And a lost love to regain.

Cleverly written by Seth Grahame-Smith (author of the novel, “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer”), “Dark Shadows” is a faithful homage to the television show I remember, with a little more humor thrown in to keep the youngsters interested. The cast does a fine job with their character development, with Depp leading the way. His Barnabas is youthful in appearance and, as the 1970s were a time of unusual mod fashion, he blends right in. He is puzzled by some of the achievements he has missed, as well as finding the most comfortable place to take a nap. He also doesn’t understand why 15-year old Carolyn isn’t married yet (surprised, he tells her that she must “put her child bearing hips to good use”). Here horror takes a backseat to comedy, but the jokes work a majority of the time. The special effects are tame, as is the on-screen violence. But the film is not out to shock, it’s out to enlighten. As Barnabas begins to stir things up, he soon learns that, like his father used to tell him, family IS important. And it is this lesson that Barnabas uses to educate the others.

The film is typically Burton, combining color and whimsy together to form a backdrop that keeps the film moving at a brisk pace. The cast has fun with their roles, as well as with the early 1970s backdrop. The musical score, by long time Burton collaborator Danny Elfman, lends the film a perfect accompaniment. Like Steven Spielberg and John Williams, the two artists seem to share similar visions when discussing film. As a tribute to a television classic, “Dark Shadows” is right on the mark.

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Starring: Judi Dench, Dev Patel and Bill Nighy
Directed by: John Madden
PG 13
Running time: 2 hours 3 mins
Fox Searchlight

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This time of year brings many surprises to the multiplex. This season’s first surprise is a charming film packed with a who’s who of some of the greatest actors to ever come out of England. The film is called “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and it’s a fine diversion from the super heroes and animated fare that fills theatres in the summer months.

The story concerns a group of Brit senior citizens looking for a way to keep their autumn years comfortable. Evelyn (Dench) is recently widowed and learning that her husband has left her in a considerable amount of debt. Graham (Tom Wilkinson) is a retired judge who still regrets leaving the love of his youth. Douglas and Jean (Nighy and Penelope Wilton) are a couple of civil servants trying to rekindle the sparks of their marriage. These people and others are drawn to a brochure they are sent from India advertising the opulent Marigold Hotel. Soon the group is off to Jaipur, hoping to spread their retirement money out longer in the Indian economy. However, when they arrive they discover that the hotel is not as fancy as pictured. The phones don’t work, the faucets drip and not all of the rooms have doors. However, inspired by the passion of the hotel’s young owner/manager Sonny (Patel) the palace they imagined begins to take shape.

Skillfully acted by a group that has, between them, 14 Academy Award nominations and 3 Oscars (not to mention the one Bill Nighy should have won for “Love Actually”), the film is the greatest assemblage of British talent since the last “Harry Potter” film. As each person begins to deal with their new surroundings, the story enfolds, enveloping each of them with the magic that Sonny is trying to restore to his family’s hotel. Also along for the trip is Mrs. Donnelly (Maggie Smith) who, rather than wait on a rather long list for a hip transplant, takes advantage of the cost and availability of Indian medicine and two seniors (Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup) still looking for the excitement that love brings. There are secrets to be discovered, of course, and that is what makes this rather exotic trip worthwhile. Patel brings the same youthful ambition here that he displayed in “Slumdog Millionaire” and more then holds his own against his older co-stars. On the technical side, the film is brilliant with the colors and sights of India, delivering a much more nuanced vision of the country then the one featured in many films. Director Madden keeps the pace moving briskly, helped mightily by a witty script by Ol Parker, based on Deborah Moggach’s novel, “These Foolish Things.”

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Get ready for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to assemble on the big screen for the very first time in “Marvel’s The Avengers,” only in theaters May 4th!

“The Avengers” will bring together the super hero team of Marvel Comics characters for the first time ever, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk and more, as they are forced to band together to battle the biggest foe they’ve ever faced.

When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

Click here for Mike Gencarelli’s review

Click here for Mike Smith’s review

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal & Craig Hatkoff as a response to the attacks on the World Trade Center. Conceived to foster the economic and cultural revitalization of Lower Manhattan through an annual celebration of film, music and culture, the Festival’s mission is to promote New York City as a major filmmaking center and allow its filmmakers to reach the broadest possible audience. Since the inaugural festival, Lower Manhattan has become a thriving cultural and economic center.

Over the course of 12 days, the Tribeca Film Fest exhibited 89 feature films and 60 short films to over 116,000 movie-goers.

Media Mikes was fortunate to screen and review a bunch of films throughout the fest.  Check out our reviews below, but don’t worry if you missed the festival many of these features hopefully will be distributed soon to a wider audience. Stay tuned!

Check out the following link for the 2012 schedule and film guide

Starring:  Oscar and other assorted friends.
Directed by:  Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield
G
Running time:  1 hour 18 mins
DisneyNature

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

There’s a great part in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” where, during the filming of a parodied “Scream 3” the killer turns out to be a monkey.  Horrified, Shannen Doherty turns to director Wes Craven and exclaims, “A monkey, Wes?  Jesus, you’re not even trying anymore are you?”   Smiling, Craven replies, “The market research says that people love monkeys!”  And take it from me, they’re going to love little Oscar, the star of the new documentary, “Chimpanzee.”

Young chimp Oscar spends his days hanging out with his mom.  Life is pretty sweet for the little guy.  But when the food in their part of the jungle runs low, Oscar’s group must forage in areas that are not friendly, guarded by a rival group of chimps.  It’s like “West Side Story” with primates!

Cute as a button (the first five or six times he’s on screen the screening audience let out a collected “awww), Oscar makes for an engaging movie star.  The film itself is beautifully shot, with the filmmakers gaining unprecedented access to the secrets of the jungle.  The story is pretty straight forward.  Find food or fight trying.  The chimpanzees must have studied at the Disney school of movie plots.  During one of the skirmishes Oscar’s mother just disappears, apparently killed.  The rival gang is led by a scowling chimp named Scar.  The film is surprisingly “G” rated, which I found strange considering there is an intense sequence where the chimps surround a weaker group of monkeys, capture the slowest one and eat it.  I guess if it happens in nature it’s not PG worthy.

The world the chimpanzees make for themselves is pretty amazing.  Whether fashioning a bed for themselves by bending tree branches or choosing between a log or a rock to open nuts, it’s clear that these guys are pretty smart.  And close.  The best scenes are the simple ones…Oscar and his young friends wrestling or just Oscar cradled in his mother’s arms.  The magic of the jungle is caught in all its beauty, with special mention to the various time-lapse shots capturing everything from a blossoming flower to a spider making its web.  And while Wes Craven believes everyone loves monkeys, I noticed that the majority of the under-5 crowd fidgeted during the screening, usually being taken out of the theatre in tears.  But for the over-5 crowd, the film should be a crowd pleaser.

Directed by: Drew Goddard
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford
Distributed by: Lionsgate Entertainment
Running time: 105 minutes

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In this campy horror film, five young adults plan a vacation in the woods at a cabin only to end up with a lot more than they expected. This movie starts out as what one would presume is your typical comedy/horror film. Although it takes a whole other angle and leaves the audiences surprised. I would have to say that this is a must see if you like quirky movies and especially if you are a Joss Whedon fan, who co-wrote and produced.

When the group ends up at this cabin in the middle of the woods, they are just looking at an secluded escape from daily life. If the location wasn’t creepy enough, the house is filled with animal heads mounted on the walls, a one way mirror hidden behind a gruesome picture and a cellar filled to the brim with odd knickknack and trinkets from times past. The quintuplet of friends soon find themselves in the middle of a horror story, unable to escape what turns out to be a ritual killing with a much much bigger picture.

If you are already familiar with other works by Joss Whedon, then early on you will begin to recognize faces. If your like me and love his work, you’ll get more and more excited as the movie progresses. With a menagerie of familiar and new actors and a story only Joss Whedon could weave, this movie proves to be a perfect blend of horror and comedy. I felt that it rides the fine line between the two genres expertly. I have seen many films but this theater experience was just amazing.  The audience was totally just glued to the screen, as was I.  This film will not disappoint.